Swans and Geese

Today I walked from my apartment to my doctor's office. Along the way I took photographs of the beautiful frosty day. For a week now, everything has been coated with frost that never melts. The naked trees, the ground, roofs of buildings. Grass blades are stiff and white, my breath plumes from my mouth, even the air itself has a wonderful ghostly tint.

When I first began taking photographs outdoors, I was insecure about it. I'm a bit shy. I worried that I would draw attention to myself, that people might even laugh. Now I'm more confidant. I've noticed that people don't pay a lot of attention anyway - they might look twice, but that's about it. I'm quite strict with myself when I have my camera with me. For example today, I was freezing. I didn't want to stop, take off my gloves, set my camera ... all the motions I have to go through to get a good photograph. I preferred to keep walking with my gloved hand pressed over my nose. But I wanted to take advantage of the beautiful morning light. I wanted to take pictures of the frost. So I forced myself to do it. That's what you sometimes have to do in order to create something, I suppose.

On my way I crossed a bridge spanning a river. Earlier this winter, I looked down from that bridge to watch the spawning salmon. Some were already dead and hauled up onto the shore by the seagulls, others were swimming alone or sheltering in groups behind stones. I have the jaw from a spawning salmon - the teeth are unreal. Further along in my walk, I passed a farm where swans and Canada geese spend the summer in the fields. Superstore is at the edge of these fields. Every time I shop there in summer, I look for the swans and geese. Imagine a summer evening, as the sun is beginning to set. You hear a sound of wing beats, and look up to see a pair of white swans, winging their way back to the field after a day spent on some nearby lake. That always brings a lump to my throat.

For some reason, (or maybe this is normal, and I just didn't notice before), some of the swans and geese remained here this winter. They were out there today, all together in the center of the field, huddled against the cold. I saw a small group of geese flying above my head. I took a photograph, but since my camera doesn't have zoom, they appear as dots in the sky. I really can't wait till I have enough money saved to buy a better camera!

Every year, when I happen to be in the right place at the right time, and see the geese or swans flying south, I stop in my tracks to watch them. I am completely speechless at the sight. I'm so moved by it, I have a lump in my throat, and have to shake my head to clear it so I can speak again. I will never forget several years ago - it was an early fall evening, the day was halfway to fading into night. I heard distant honking, and stopped on the sidewalk with my head tilted to look up at the sky. Then they appeared over the treeline, a huge flock of geese, flying in a perfect 'V' formation. They soared above me like so many bomber planes, honking encouragement to each other, honking their thrill at the adventure before them, honking their pure joy for life. It was so incredible. So unbelieveably powerful a sight, I will never in my life forget it. There were so many, the whoosh of their wing beats filled the air. What a courageous thing. I'm completely humbled by birds.